Critz Tybee Run Fest on and running Friday night

Thursday

With forecasts of ice and snow for Savannah this week came one big, persistent question for Robert Espinoza.

People wanted to know if the annual Critz Tybee Run Fest would be canceled if such miserable weather continued into this weekend.

"We wouldn't cancel based on cold," Espinoza, the event's director, said Thursday from race headquarters at Fleet Feet Sports Savannah. "We would only cancel based on storms or lightning, that kind of thing. Cold never stops runners."

And with temperatures now expected to rise into the 60s, runners haven't stopped registering for the event, which starts tonight with a sold-out 5K beginning and ending at the lighthouse on Tybee Island. The Run Fest continues Saturday morning with four consecutive races for a two-day total of 26.2 miles, a full marathon.

"Based on how cold it had been the past few days, 50s will probably feel like 80," Espinoza said. "It's a lot easier to work in these types of conditions when you know the good weather is coming. If we knew we had to deal with the same weather this weekend, it'd be a little bit tougher to get things together."

This is the third year of the Run Fest format, and entries have increased each year. With one more day to register for Saturday's races, the numbers at the close of registration Thursday were: 808 runners for the 5K, 568 for the 10K, 998 for the half marathon, 245 for the 2.8-mile beach run and 196 for the 1-mile run. Add to each total the number 326 - runners who have signed up for all five events. While that number has risen, too, from the low 200s, Espinoza understands why more people don't accept the challenge.

"You would think that's a way to run a marathon, why don't a bunch of people register for it?" he said. "Because running and stopping and running and stopping is hard on the body. So those are very, very brave, hardy people that want to tackle that. Not only do you get to run a marathon, but it's a great way to put in a great training week."

There's still a $10,000 prize to any runner breaking the world record for the men's or women's marathon with his or her combined time, but that lucrative and unlikely occurrence isn't the reason the event is growing in popularity.

"People are just starting to get used to it," Espinoza said. "They like the concept. They're recognizing it's a family-friendly event. Every family member has an event to run or walk. That's what's spiked the number. We would never do a marathon out there. We were told not to do a marathon and that's OK with me because the island's too small."

The event used to include a marathon, which required two loops around the island, was more congested on tight turns, probably a little more confusing and definitely tied up more traffic for more hours than the current format. Espinoza, who capped the 5K at 1,000 because of limited parking and running room around the lighthouse area, thanked law enforcement and government officials on Tybee Island for their cooperation in making the event possible.